The God Hater: A Novel [Paperback]

Bill Myers (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 28, 2010

A cranky, atheistic philosophy professor loves to shred the faith of incoming freshmen. He is chosen by a group of scientists to create a philosophy for a computer-generated world exactly like ours. Much to his frustration every model he introduces—from Darwinism, to Existentialism, to Relativism, to Buddhism—fails. The only way to preserve the computer world is to introduce laws from outside their system through a Law Giver. Of course this goes against everything he's ever believed, and he hates it. But even that doesn't completely work because the citizens of that world become legalists and completely miss the spirit behind the Law. The only way to save them is to create a computer character like himself to personally live and explain it. He does. So now there are two of him—the one in our world and the one in the computer world. Unfortunately a rival has introduced a virus into the computer world. Things grow worse until our computer-world professor sees the only way to save his world is to personally absorb the virus and the penalty for breaking the Law. Of course, it's clear to all, including our real-world professor, that this act of selfless love has become a reenactment of the Gospel. It is the only possible choice to save their computer world and, as he finally understands, our own.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This one will be talked about for a long time." (Jerry B. Jenkins, New York Times bestselling author)

"When one of the most creative minds I know gets the best idea he’s ever had and turns it into a novel, it’s fasten-your-seat-belt time. This one will be talked about for a long time." (Jerry B. Jenkins, author of Left Behind)

"A most fascinating story! Full of heart, suspense and intelligence, The God Hater engagingly illustrates the futility of man-made beliefs, as well as the world’s desperate need for a God who offers hope, guidance, and help." (Tim LaHaye, author of Left Behind)

"Bill has written another heartwrenching, mind-gripping novel that delivers on so many levels. Like the Gospel, The God Hater is more than just a great read. I highly recommend it!" (Doug Fields, Teaching Pastor of Saddleback Community Church, bestselling author of Refuel and Fresh Start)

"An original masterpiece. The God Hater re-opens our eyes to God's absolute justice and His unfathomable love." (Dr. Kevin Leman, bestselling author of Have a New Kid by Friday)

"If you enjoy white-knuckle, page-turning suspense, with a brilliant blend of cutting-edge apologetics, The God Hater will grab you for a long, long time." (Beverly Lewis, New York Times bestselling author)

"I've never seen a more powerful and timely illustration of the incarnation. Bill Myers has a way of making the Gospel accessible and relevant to readers of all ages. I highly recommend this book." (Terri Blackstock, New York Times bestselling author)

"Once again, Myers takes us into imaginative and intriguing depths, making us feel, think, and ponder all at the same time. Relevant and entertaining, The God Hater is not to be missed." (James Scott Bell, bestselling author of Deceived and Try Fear)

"A brilliant novel that feeds the mind and heart, The God Hater belongs at the top of your reading list." (Angela Hunt, New York Times bestselling author)

“The God Hater is a rare combination of Christian fiction that is both entertaining and spiritually provocative. It has the ability to challenge your mind, as well as move your heart. It has a message of deep spiritual significance that is highly relevant for these times.” (Paul Cedar, chairman of Mission America Coalition)

About the Author

Bill Myers holds a degree in Theater Arts from the University of Washington and an honorary doctorate from the Theological Institute of Nimes, France, where he taught. As author/screenwriter/director his work has won over 50 national and international awards, including the C.S. Lewis Honor Award. His DVDs and books have sold 8 million copies. His children’s DVD and book series, McGee and Me, has sold 4.5 million copies, has won 40 Gold and Platinum awards, and has been aired on ABC as well as in 80 countries. His My Life As… series has sold 2.1 million copies. He has written, directed, and done voice work for Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey radio series and is the voice of Jesus in Zondervan’s NIV Audio Bible. As an author, nearly all of his children's series have made the bestseller list, as well as 7 of his adult novels. He has been interviewed for Good Morning America and ABC Nightly News. Several of his novels are currently under option for motion pictures, including Blood of Heaven, Threshold, Eli, Fire of Heaven, When the Last Leaf Falls, and Forbidden Doors. The motion picture, The Wager, starring Randy Travis and based on Myers’s novel by the same name, was released in 2009.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439153264
• ISBN-13: 978-1439153260
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 5.4 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #891,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi.
Thanks for checking up on me. Probably best to go over to my web site: www.Billmyers.com for biography information. And if you're really bored, there's my fan site over on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Bill-Myers/44983396181 Oh, and one last thing. If you're a student and your class reads one of my books, I'll do a 'meet the author' 30 min question and answer session by speakerphone with your class from my office here in California. If you're a reader's group, the same thing goes...in which case I'd recommend ELI to really get the discussion juices flowing - at least until THE GOD HATER comes out in 2010. Thanks for stopping by!
bill
www.Billmyers.com
and
www.facebook.com/pages/Bill-Myers/44983396181

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Destined to be a Classic September 28, 2010

By Joshua Olds

Format:Kindle Edition

Technology has grown in leaps and bounds over the past 20 years. Who would have guessed the effect virtual online gaming and social networking would have had on the culture? Games like the Sims give gamers control over virtual people whose lives play out in the virtual world. But now picture an accurate simulation of life - one that could predict everything from whether or not a product would sell to what tactics would help a politician win an election. Then insert cranky philosopher Nicholas Mackenzie, The God Hater.

Nicholas likes nothing better to tear down religious faith. Christian, Buddhist, Muslim - Nicholas is an equal opportunity offender, using his vast knowledge, acerbic wit, and obnoxious attitude to completely blindside any who dare suggest that there is a God. When it comes to philosophies and worldviews, he is one of the most brilliant people in the world, so when his brother - a computer hacker/genius - strong arms him into recommending a worldview for this virtual world, Nicholas sets to the task.

Enter Alpha. He's just a virtual character from a virtual world, but for Nicholas he conjures up images of his past - images he'd rather not think of. Alpha's world is in ruin. Survival of the Fittest has created a society filled with terror and death. Other systems have been tested as well: Existentialism, Relativism, any number of non-theistic philosophies. But all lead to ruin.

Nicholas reaches the painful conclusion that in order to save the virtual world he's become so connected to, he must introduce a new belief system - one that posits the very God Nicholas hates. But that's not the only problem. A rival corporation is gunning to take over the project, realizing its vast importance in predicting the future of real life.... Guns will blaze; viruses will be released; and sacrifices will have to be made.

Bill Myers is a well-known name in Christian fiction, author of many, many novels. So when he calls The God Hater one of his most important novels, I sit up and listen. Even more so when the advance copy I received had already been endorsed by NYT bestselling author Jerry Jenkins, who said the novel "will be talked about for a long time." Because of that, my expectations were pretty high going into the novel - and the novel is everything it claims and more.

Myers combines a solid thriller with a mind-engaging, philosophical core that presents mankind's redemptive story in a powerful and compelling way. As a student of Christianity, Philosophy, and Story I found that The God Hater engaged me on all three levels. Christian but not preachy and philosophical but not academic, Myers has weaved a novel that paints man's ancient redemptive history with a futuristic flair.

Quite honestly, this book could have been dry and boring. A computer simulation predicts the results of the implementation of a worldview. But Myers infuses it with life, bringing his virtual characters to life in the story-within-the-story. Alpha's story, and his adaptability as his very worldview changes, is compelling and astounding, really drawing in the reader. And it all drives toward the climax where the two worlds collide.

Whether you're looking for a book to leave you thinking or a book to purely enjoy, you'll find that you'll enjoy The God Hater because it does both flawlessly. Not since Ted Dekker's Circle Series or C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia has redemptive history come so alive. It's outstanding. Read it. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A new way to tell the THE story. October 7, 2010

By Trish Perry

Format:Paperback

I almost wished I didn't know the story of Christ's redemptive sacrifice when I read Bill Myers' excellent new novel, The God Hater. If you know that story, in some ways you know where this allegory has to go in order to be a true parallel. But Myers still manages to infuse his tale of atheist Nicholas Mackenzie with intensity, intrigue, surprise, and emotion. If you've ever struggled to explain why Christ did what He did for us, or how Christ and God could be separate but one, or how Jesus relates to Old Testament law, use this book to do it. A fresh, imaginative, entertaining take on the greatest story ever told.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Myers has Unique Talent September 22, 2010

By MasterAP

Format:Paperback

The God Hater is about Nicholas Mackenzi, a philosopher professor who hates religion. He is contacted by his brother Travis who has created possibly the greatest AI community in the world. Travis needs the help of a brilliant mind in order to make his community function for the corporates and who better than Nicholas.

Happening with the brother's story, is the tale of those who desire to steal the invention for their own money-making purposes.

Bill Myers has always been a favorite author of mine. He has a way with storytelling that quickly pulls you close to the characters and shoots you on a roller coaster ride.

You won't know who to trust in this tale of suspense and heart.

The latest Myers offering will open your eyes to Jesus in a fresh way.

This would be the perfect book to give your friends who consider themselves to be intellectual and opposed to the belief in God. It isn't preachy but rather familiar in tone.

This book was provided for review by Howard Books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Have You Ever Read a Book So Good... July 19, 2012

By Delicate Desert Cobra

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Usually, with the books I read, I find something to dislike. Lynn Austin is an author I frequently read, but the plots of her novels could all be solved with one or two twenty-minute conversations between the characters. JK Rowling's "heroic" characters had too much of an us-vs.-them mentality for my liking. And Ted Dekker's romantic subplots are all the same: handsome manly heroic hero rescues pretty damsel in distress in a not-so-cleverly-hidden metaphor for Jesus and sinful mankind.

And then there are books like this.

Before buying the book, I read some of the other reviews. Seeing that most of them called the main character "endearing," and knowing that he was an atheist written by a Christian author, I was intrigued. How endearing WAS this character? And how "out of the box" WAS this plot?

The answer to both questions? EXTREMELY.

Nicholas Mackenzie is an atheist. Like most atheists I know, he has a profound dislike for religion, believing it is the sole cause of all evil in the world. Unlike many atheists I know, he doesn't restrict his hatred to Christianity. No, he's an equal-opportunity hater, bullying Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus....if you are religious, Nicholas wants nothing more than to tear down your faith.

Most authors would stop right there, step back from the character sheet, and say "Done." Myers took the time to flesh Nicholas out, to show his softer side, and to demonstrate that when he starts harping on religion he....actually has a point. A good point. Religion, while never maligned in the story, is shown in all its not-so-glorious glory. Annie, his only friend, is a Christian who was deeply hurt by religious people when she had a son out of wedlock.... In a touching bit of irony, Nicholas was the only one who was there for her. "He never offered anything but help," the narrator says. Of course, Nicholas has a reason for doing this, but it is no less touching than the fact that he helped Annie in the first place.

This being a Christian book, Nicholas does come to see Christianity in a different light. The way this happens is a stroke of genius on Myers' part: By helping his brother correct the mistakes in an experimental AI program, Nicholas gets to (literally) play God. Through this experiment, the Christian worldview is clearly explained, and the logic behind it is demonstrated in a powerful way. Additionally, the shortcomings with other worldviews are shown clearly--survival of the fittest and dualism being the two that get the most attention. The scenes involving those two views are chilling.

I won't go into any more detail, because I think everyone should read this book and I don't want to spoil it. Christians should read it because it explains why "just being religious" is toxic. Atheists should read it because it explains the logic behind the Christian faith. People who don't care one way or the other should read it because Nicholas Mackenzie is one of the best characters I've ever encountered in fiction. Read more ›